Device for glueing the upper to soles of shoes



DEVICE FOR GLUEING THE UPPER TO SOLES 0F SHOES Filed May 3, 1962 Dec. 15, 1964 M. BILLE ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor MAR\O EMA-E SERGIO TURATO y LMZLZ Attorney 1964 M. BILLE ETAL 3,16 ,899

DEVIbE FOR GLUEING THE UPPER TO SOLES 0F SHOES Filed May 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 24 29 I: 30 H 124 127 Fig.3

MAFMO B\LLE SERGIO TURATO mmud Attorney United States Patent Ofihee 3,160,899 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 In the manufacture of shoes it is necessary to glue together the insole, the upper leather (usually called the upper) and the outsole. Notoriously however, particularly the glueing of the outer margin of the upper to the edge of the insole is difiicult and laborious, due to the fact that while the upper is fitted upon the last it is necessary to fit the insole against the sole of the last, fasten said insole to the last by means of some nails and sub sequently pull consecutively all around the insole the projecting margin of the upper, fold same against the insole, and fasten it also by means of nails, after having first smeared with glue the peripheral edge of the insole, so as to glue upon the insole edge the folded margin of the upper.

The present invention relates to a device which permits rapidly folding and glueing the margin of the upper upon the insole and comprises a platform, upon which one or more hollow, upstanding shoe-supporting sockets are mounted, and a dome-shaped lid or hell to the edge of which a corrugated rubber membrane is fitted, which, by being subjected to the action of a fluid under pressure and/ or vacuum, when the bell is laid upon the platform, is urged with force against said sockets and the shoe uppers, lasts and insoles carried thereby.

Of course both platform and the hell are provided with ducts for exhausting air from below the shoe outsole and from the lower membrane side, thus fastening same by suction upon the socket and urging the membrane against said last-ed shoe, while in the free space between the bell and the membrane a fluid under pressure is fed at the same time, thus co-acting with the suction for urging said membrane to wrap the assemblage of insoles, last and shoe upper with a uniform pressure in every point, while assuming exactly the shape thereof. 7

The said membranemay be simply formed by a corrugated rubber sheet or better, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rubber sheet may be provided with pockets and undulations, so designed as tion comprises a plate 1 to which one or more open-top to wrap in the best manner the above described assemblage.

The invention will be better understood from the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing, which schematically illustrates a prefer-red embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are two like vertical sectional views of a device according to the invention, in which a last, shoe upper and insole has been fitted, FIG. 1 showing a preferred form of rubber membrane arrangement before the application of fluid pressure and vacuum and FIG. 2 after the said application.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are two elevational views at 90 of the upper part of the device, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a plan view and an enlarged vertical sectional view, respectively, of a preferred form of membrane for a pair of shoes.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invenhollow sockets 2 are fastened having a substantially oval or shoe-sole like outline, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 5. The interior of the socket 2 may be put into communication with a source of vacuum (not shown) through a duct ending with a nipple 3. Under the plate 1, in correspondence of each socket 2 a vacuum-distributing cup 4 is provided with a nipple 5 also for connection with a source of vacuum (not shown)-.while the plate 1, inside'the said cap 4, is provided with through holes 6 opening outside of the socket base. All-around the socket the surface of said plate 1 is corrugated or provided with a wire mesh 7 s for the purpose as will be seen hereinafter.

The plate 1 is provided with an encircling frame 8 provided with a groove in which is half-encased a packing ring 9.

.Upon this packing ring 9 a lid or bell 10 may be laid, so as to form with the plate 1 a closed chamber sealed by the pack-ing ring 9. The bell is provided with a nipple 11 for connection to a hose 12 to be connected to a source of a fluid under pressure (not shown). I

The bell is provided with a laterally disposed U-shaped rim channel 13 the upper flange 113 of which is provided with a groove while the lower flange is provided with a plurality of circularly arranged tapped holes through which a corresponding number of clamping screws 15 may be threaded. A clamping ring 14 having a substantially semi-circular cross section is supported by the screws 15. Between this ring 14 and the correspond ing groove in the upper flange 113 of the bell edge, the edge of an elastic membrane 16 may be tightly clamped.

According to a preferred embodiment as shown, the elastic membrane 16, which may be made from a sheet of rubber or soft plasticmaterial, is provided preferably -but not necessarily-with pockets 116 corresponding in number and location with the sockets 2 and with a plurality of undulations 216 encircling said pockets which are so formed as to completely cap with some clearance an assemblage of insole, last and shoe upper 18, FIG. 1, supported by a socket 2 whose shape corresponds to that of the shoe sole, but is smaller than said sole, so as to leave therearound a free border upon which the projecting margin of the :shoe upper may be foldedupon the The operation of the thus described device as follows:

means of a spring clamp C and with the insole IS (FIG.v

2) fitted under the last L and the lower borderB of the upper U projecting under the insole IS. In order to hold the assemblage fast upon the socket, the air is exhausted through nipple 3 until the insole IS is drawn tightly against the socket edges. Then the air is exhausted through the nipple 5, and thus a vacuum is formed under the membrane, the air being. exhausted also from the peripheral part of the plate through the corrugated part216 of the membrane 16 and the plate top or the wire mesh 7. At the same time, fluid under pressure is fed through the hose 12 and nipple 11. Due to the combined action of vacuum and compressed fluid (usually air) each pocket 116 of the membrane 16 adheres against the corresponding shoe upper and holds the lower shoe margin or border B against the border of the insole IS, as shown in FIG. 2.

In practice, the edge of the insole is smeared with glue, so that when the upper margin B is folded against the insole IS, it is glued thereto.

After the upper margin B is firmly glued to the insole, i

a shoe upper U is laid,

stitution of the membrane is necessary when the device should serve for operating upon diiferently sized shoes.

on the other hand, in order to speed up the operations of the shoe substitution, the lifting and closure of the bell are preferably controlled pneumatically, To this purpose (FIGS. 3 and 4) the bell 19 is hinged at 21 to a bracket 30 fastened to the machine base 28 and is rotated by means of pneumatic pistons whose rods 24am hinged by their ends to pivots 26 projecting fromrthe bell sides. Said pneumatic pistons slide in cylinders 124 hinged on pivots 125 carried by brackets on the machine base 28.

socket by suction, second duct means through said plate The fastening of the bell 10 during operation is effected by means of plurality of bolts 27 constituted by the rods of pneumatical pistons whose cylinders 127 are fastened underthe plate 1 and may be actuated by suitable fluid pressure means (not shown). Each bolt 27 mates with a hole in downwardly projecting bars 29 fastened to the bell, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. V

FIGS. 5 and 6 show in plan and in somewhat enlarged vertical section a membrane 16 provided with two pockets 116 for a pairof shoes to be supported upon a pair of sockets 2.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that very simple means is adapted to perfectly glue the shoe upper to the insole and the outsole to an upperglued to an insole, without need of highly specialized workmanship and at a much greater speed than it was hitherto possible. Of course, the invention is not limited to the abovedescribed embodiment, but to the following claims;

We claim: V 3 1. A device for glueing shoe uppers to insoles, comprising a supporting plate, at least one open-top socket on said plate for supporting an assemblage including an insole, a last positioned on the insole anda shoe upper on outside said socket for communication with a vacuum source for evacuating said vacuum chamber to draw said membrane down over the shoe upper of said assemblage to hold the assemblage on said socket, and third duct means through said cover and in communication with said pressure chamber for communication with a fluid pressure source for pressing said membrane around the shoe upper to inturn said marginal portions and force the shoe upper tightly against the insole.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein saidbell cover is provided with an annular inwardly open, rim channel: having upper and lower flanges, said membrane having an outer rim portion inserted within said rim channel, and said means for sealing the cover and membrane including clamping means in said rim channel releasably sealing the rim portion of said membrane to said cover.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said membrane has a pocket coinciding with said supporting socket and is provided with undulations around said pocket to provideair passages to said second duct means during evacuation of the vacuum chamber.

7 4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said plate supports two sockets each having the configuration corresponding-to that of one of a pair of lasts,-'said membrane having two of said pockets respectively coinciding with said sockets, and said undulations in said membrane extending substantially concentrically around said pockets. 5. A device according to claim 2, wherein the upper flange ofsaid rim channel has an endless shallow. groove extending completely around said cover, and said clamping means comprises a clamp ring of semicircular crosssection for mating with said groove to clamp the outer said last having marginal portions surrounding the iny sole, the peripheral dimensions of said socket being less than those of the insole of said assemblage to free'said 'marginal portions of the shoeupper for inturning to underlie the insole, a bell shapedcover for said plate, an elastic membrane spanning said cover, means sealing saidmembrane and said cover to form a pressure chamber there:-

between, means for sealing said cover and saidplate for forming a vacuum chamber between "said plate and said membrane, first duct means leading to the interior of said 1 rim portion of the membrane therebetween, and screw means threaded throughsaid lower flange of said rim channel and connected with said clamp ring for moving the latter toward and from clamping position. I

, 6. A device according to claim L Wherein the said cover is hinged to said plate, fluid operated jack means connected between said cover and plate for lifting and lowering said cover, and lock means including fluid-operated keeper bolts carried by said plate and bar means on said cover having holes for receiving said bolts in extended position to hold the cover securely against said plate.

References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,337,532 Stuart "Apr. 20, 1920 1,895,941 Ritchey Jan.' 31, 1933 2,392,315 Davis JanfS, 1946 2,410,878 Harrington n 'Nov. 12, 1946 2,740,143 .Frieri Apr. 3, 1956 2,962,734 Lorenzo 'Dec. 6, '1960 2,996,739 'Vdolek Aug. 22,1961 

1. A DEVICE FOR GLUEING SHOE UPPERS TO INSOLES, COMPRISING SUPPORTING PLATE, AT LEAST ONE OPEN-TOP SOCKET ON SAID PLATE FOR SUPPORTING AN ASSEMBLAGE INCLUDING AN INSOLE, A LAST POSITIONED ON THE INSOLE AND A SHOE UPPER ON SAID LAST HAVING MARGINAL PORTIONS SURROUNDING THE INSOLE, THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS OF SAID SOCKET BEING LESS THAN THOSE OF THE INSOLE OF SAID ASSEMBLAGE TO FREE SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THE SOLE UPPER FOR INTURNING TO UNDERLIE THE INSOLE, A BELL SHAPED COVER FOR SAID PLATE, AN ELASTIC MEMBRANE SPANNING SAID COVER, MEANSSEALING SAID MEMBRANE AND SAID COVER FORM A PRESSURE CHAMBER THEREBETWEEN, MEANS FOR SEALING SAID COVER AND SAID PLATE FOR FORMING A VACUUM CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID PLATE AND SAID MEMBRANE, FIRST DUCT MEANS LEADING TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID SOCKET FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A VACUUM SOURCE FOR RETAINING THE INSOLE OF SAID ASSEMBLAGE CLAMPED ON SAID SOCKET BY SUCTION, SECOND DUCT MEANS THROUGH SAID PLATE OUTSIDE SAID SOCKET FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A VACUUM SOURCE FOR EVACUATING SAID VACUUM CHAMBER TO DRAW SAID MEMBRANE DOWN OVER THE SHOE UPPER OF SAID ASSEMBLAGE TO HOLD THE ASSEMBLAGE ON SAID SOCKET, AND THIRD DUCT MEANS THROUGH SAID COVER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER FOR COMMUNICATION WITH A FLUID PRESSURE SOURCE FOR PRESSING SAID MEMBRANE AROUND THE SHOE UPPER TO INTURN SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS AND FORCE THE SHOE UPPER TIGHTLY AGAINST THE INSOLE. 